SDV-01 Chinese Surface-to-Subsurface Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV)

The SDV-01 Chinese Surface-to-Subsurface Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) was developed and manufactured by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). It is intended to transport frogmen and special operations forces from the water surface to underwater environments, supporting missions such as combat diving, underwater demolition, and reconnaissance. The SDV-01 made its international debut at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 8–12, 2026). On this occasion, CSSC presented the system directly, marking a significant advancement in the international marketing of this technology. The exhibition underscored Beijing's ambitions in underwater special operations technology for both domestic and international clients. The SDV-01 is expected to enhance the capabilities of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) special operations units, such as the 7th Marine Brigade (Jiaolong Commandos), which is based in Sanya, Hainan. This brigade undertakes missions including combat diving, underwater demolition, sabotage, reconnaissance, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations. In contrast, the U.S. Navy typically deploys its SDVs from Dry Deck Shelters (DDS) mounted on attack or ballistic missile submarines. According to Naval News, there is currently no photographic evidence of a dry deck shelter being installed on any Chinese submarine, although computer-generated imagery of a Type 093 Shang-class SSN with such a shelter has circulated. A 2015 report referenced imagery of a Type 093 variant equipped with a docking hangar for a special operations forces (SOF) submersible, but the hangar appeared capable of accommodating only the forward two-thirds of the vehicle. This evidence suggests that the PLAN may currently deploy the SDV-01 primarily from surface vessels or shore-based facilities rather than submarines. The presentation of the SDV-01 at WDS 2026 reflects Beijing's increasing confidence in marketing sensitive military technologies internationally, particularly to buyers in the Middle East. China has positioned itself as a major arms exporter, and the underwater special operations sector remains a niche market with few export-ready systems available globally. However, significant uncertainties remain about the PLAN's ability to deploy the SDV-01 from submarines, as there is no confirmed dry-deck shelter capability in the current Chinese submarine fleet. Additionally, the vehicle's relatively shallow maximum operating depth of 40 meters may limit its effectiveness in certain operational scenarios compared with Western systems with higher depth ratings.